Loss and Redemption
by PipHobbit
Summary: When Riku lost his heart to Ansem, he was lost to the darkness as well. With no inner light and no heart, he died within Kingdom Hearts. But now’s he’s back, reborn in a new body and in a new world. Will he be able to remember his old self? Not a MarySue.
1. Prologue: Death, The Light in the Dark

Author's Note: Hey guys! I kind of gave up on A Love So Far Away, so sorry about  
that. ^_^;; It ended up being VERY different from what I planned on it  
being, but I hope this one does better. Please don't mind my sad attempt  
at humour! R+R please!  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts, Playstation, Sony, or any other songs,  
companies, corporations or brand names mentioned in this fanfic.  
Besides, suing me won't even give you enough money to pay for your  
  
lawyer. :P  
  
Summary: When Riku lost his heart to Ansem, he was lost to the darkness as well.  
With no inner light and no heart, he died within Kingdom Hearts. But  
now's he's back, reborn in a new body and in a new world. Will he be  
able to remember his old self, and will he be able to return to Destiny  
Islands?  
  
On with the story!  
  
The darkness was impenetrable. All of the light died long ago, in the instant that Sora, pushing the heavy, white doors to Kingdom Hearts, sealed it away forever. Riku's smiling face died along with it, as he mumbled a soft, 'Watch over her for me' and the doors shut with a loud, resounding 'clang!' that echoed into the abyss. There was a last 'click,' but silence prevailed as darkness filled the atmosphere. Riku shivered as he felt his whole body go cold. Sora's face was still etched into his mind, a pouting mouth, a nod of the head, a look of determination and perseverance in his eyes - a last memory that he grasped onto tightly for fear of losing it. In the last moment of light, just as the door began to close, he caught a glimpse of Kairi. She looked at him and their eyes locked, but in an instant the image was gone. The door was shut. Turning from it, he looked into Mickey's general direction. He shivered again and felt weakened by the darkness, but only ever so slightly.  
  
'Mickey,' he called. His words echoed off invisible walls and flew back at him like tiny messenger birds, letting him know where his ally was. 'We need to find another.' His voice faltered. '.doorway.' He gasped as sudden spasm of pain went searing through him, like being staked in the heart, however his heart was no longer there. He knelt down on the ground and put his hand to his chest, trying to smother another flash of pain. He choked on his words. What was this feeling?  
  
'Riku? Are you alright?' asked Mickey, who walked up to him in the dark. He had no difficulty pinpointing him - Riku's heavy breathing led him in the right direction. 'Riku?' he asked again as he got nearer. He was only answered by shallow breaths and a series of gasps.  
  
'I-I'm fine.' Riku rasped. He looked up to Mickey, just able to make out his silhouette in the thick darkness. Then there was a yellow glow - two eyes, four eyes, more eyes doubling by the second, piercing through the darkness like a needle through cloth. 'The Heartless!' he warned, getting up to his feet despite his body's violent protests. He pulled out his keyblade, as did Mickey, who turned around to face his foe. His right leg crumbled beneath him and he fell on one knee, using his keyblade as a crutch.  
  
'Riku!' Mickey called as he rushed to pick up his friend. No other word seemed to be agreeing to be said at the moment, save for a yelp as a Heartless jumped upon him. Mickey tossed him away with his own keyblade, shuddering as the impact of flesh on blade sent a wave of energy through his arm. Being in the darkness was almost as if he were blind, unable to see anything and relying on sound to guide him. However, even though the yellowy glow of the Heartless' eyes was visible, they shut them, creating a complete darkness to hide within.  
  
Riku stood up again to aid his ally in combat. Heartless were in every direction, surrounding them both, closing the distance in between and coming in closer, very ready for a fight in their natural element. Riku leapt out at them, sweeping his keyblade at random and in hopes of avoiding his friend. In the last moment of the battle, a Heartless sprang upon him, dragging him down, struggling but bringing a large group of Heartless together. Slowly they covered and engulfed him in the darkness, wiping him out of existence just as Mickey turned to him.  
  
'Wait! Riku!' he exclaimed, reaching out and arm to help him. But he found his hands were hold of naught, and his fingers were greeted by the empty-ness of Kingdom Hearts. 'N-No...It couldn't be...' he stuttered, weeping. 'It can't be...' He fell to his knees and cried.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
PipHobbit: Sorry for making that so short, but seeing how it's just a prologue, I didn't want to drag it out too long. Please send me your comments (and flames if that's the case)! ^_^ 


	2. Loss

**Author's Note**: If you're reading this, it probably means that ff.net got fixed! Yay! ^_^ I re-wrote the second chapter since it was, well, short.

Thanks to Phoenix Eternal and Ari Powwel for the first two reviews! I was very flattered!! ^__^ I especially liked the fact that it made you cry (not that I'm coldhearted or anything!), since it let me know that it had some kind of emotional impact on you. Thanks! You sure made my day! n__n I hope I didn't take too long with version two of this chapter!

**Disclaimer**:      Can't pay your lawyer, remember?

**On with the story!**

            'Katami!' came a voice. A young mother stood in a brightly lit kitchen, chopping a crispy, green head of lettuce with a rather large carving knife. 'Get down here and set the table!' She looked up at the ceiling, chuckling, then continued her arduous task of chopping vegetables. The beeping of a microwave traveled through the air, letting her to know that her soup was ready, as the 'thump, thump, thump' of feet shook the walls and the faux chandelier in the dining room. A cat mewed softly and a mourning dove cooed from outside the kitchen window.

            'Mom,' replied Katami as she ran into the kitchen, out of breath. Wispy blonde hair flew into her eyes and mouth, but she promptly spat it out, pulling a face. 'What was it that you wanted me to do?' A perplexed look plastered on her face, she scuffled over to a chair, pulled it out and sat down at the kitchen table. Her pastel yellow T-shirt and blue plaid pajama pants billowed lightly as a breeze flew in through an opened window. She let out a yawn and tucked her dyed hair behind her ear, tired, but still holding the same unknowing expression as before. Feeling itchy, she scratched gently at her neck, her fingers tugging on a small charm that hung off a silver chain.

            'Help me set up the tables for lunch, please,' requested her mother, slicing up a tomato. She placed it, along with the aforementioned lettuce, neatly between a piece of turkey and two slices of bread. Another turkey sandwich sat ready yet unattended to on the grey, marble counter. 'Didn't you hear me earlier?' Her pink apron untied itself from around her slim waist as she turned towards her daughter, knowing the answer but still expecting some sort of excuse from the teen. It was tied back on absent-mindedly, nimble fingers working the string into a bow before extracting a container of chicken noodle soup from the microwave.

            'Eh... no?' Katami replied uneasily, her answer more like a question. 'I was asleep... What?' she asked, seeing her mother raise an eyebrow. 'Can't a girl get some sleep around here?'

            'It's noon!' She shook her head, laughing to herself, and began dolling out the soup. 'Just set the table.'

            With a groan, Katami got up and began placing the utensils and dishes. Only two sets. 

            She was an only child, and her parents divorced nine years ago, when she was six. Most of her time was spent either at school or at a friend's house, while her mother went off to work during the week. Today was Saturday, but since it was sometime in July, she wouldn't have school anytime soon. In fact, she'd planned to go over to her friend's house after lunch.

            A brown coloured cat jumped up onto the table just as Katami set down the last fork. 'Skye!' she scolded, picking him up and setting him down on the ground. He looked up at her with wide, adorable eyes and an innocent look on his kittenish face. 'You're not allowed on there!' A wide grin spread itself across her lips as she pet the purring feline over his soft, fuzzy head. His blue eyes closed and his tail wrapped around her fingers delicately as he rubbed up against her shin, craving affection. She giggled.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

            Blue eyes opened again at the sound of, 'Are you still daydreaming Sora?' 

            Kairi looked down at him. 'You lazy bum!' she laughed, sitting down beside him on the sand. It was just like old times, when they used to dream and wonder about exploring new worlds. The sand was beneath their feet, the wind whistled through their hair, and the sun beat down on them. Selphie, Tidus and Wakka returned once the Destiny Islands were restored, unknowing and continuing life as if nothing had ever happened. They never seemed to notice that Riku was gone, however, and to them he never even existed.

            'Riku?' Tidus had once asked, confused, when Sora mentioned his name. 'Who's that?'

            'Huh?' Sora fell back with surprise at his friend's reaction. After a moment of hasty thinking and fidgeting, he looked toward the ground, blushing slightly with embarassment. 'Oh, um, never mind. It was someone I met with Kairi. Err, my cousin,' he'd replied with an unsteady voice, putting his hand behind his neck and laughing. Obviously it was a lie, but Tidus had bought it.

            However, that was behind him now - no one remembered Riku save for Kairi and himself. It bothered him that there was no one he could talk to, to reminisce in the past with him, and on days like these he would lay down on the sand by himself. Looking out at the ocean, he'd see Riku, holding his ever-unattainable hand out to him, a smile on his face. The frothing water made him think of Riku's silvery hair that would glisten and shine in days past. Everything seemed to trigger his memories. But they'd done everything together, so what was there to forget?

            'Kairi,' Sora said, sitting up and gazing out at the ocean. It seemed large and widespread, calm but dangerous, an adventure waiting to happen. 'Let's take the raft and go, just the two of us.'

            'What?' she exclaimed, standing up. Sora began to walk to the water's edge, kneeling down on the wet sand.

            'That's what you said, right?' He turned around and flashed her a smile, but it quickly faded as he turned his attention to the ground again. His fingers grazed the sand. 

_I can't wait, once we set sail. It'll be great_... Kairi's words echoed in his mind as he remembered his last night on Destiny Islands. His gaze returned to the water. 'And suppose...' Riku's words rolled off his tongue as he remembered all three of them being together, looking out onto the sunset.

            'Oh, Sora,' said Kairi sympathetically, walking over to him. 'There are other worlds. You don't need to look anymore.' She kneeled down beside him, looking out, just as he did. _Riku... she thought, also remembering her last moments with him. She looked towards Sora again, trying to keep their spirits up. 'No matter where we went or what we saw, we knew we would always come back here. Right? That was our pact, to come back here. But…' she sighed, '…Riku hasn't.' She looked down at the ground, sadly._

            'So let's go!' Sora became a bit more cheerful at that thought. 'Let's go find him.' He stood, clenching his hands into a fist, determined. It was the same look of determination and perseverance that Riku last saw, and something that Kairi admired – the fact that Sora was so stubborn and slightly thick-headed, but for all the right causes.

            'How?' she asked, taken by surprise for the second time that day. 'We can't jump worlds anymore, Sora. They've all been separated.'

            _Okay, you know there are many other worlds out there… right? …They've been secret because they've never been connected_. Sora remembered overhearing Aerith's discussion with Donald and Goofy from within the green room, in the hotel in Traverse Town. It was the night when he first learned of the journey that lay ahead of him, when his life first began to unravel. But in a flash the memory was gone, just like Riku and all of Sora's hopes of finding him. Separated? he thought, suddenly realizing that Kairi was right. A breeze blew through his hair, burning his cheek where a tear had fallen.

'Don't worry, Kairi.' He shook his head before looking down at her, wearing a goofy grin. 'We'll find a way…And we'll come back here, all three of us.' With that, he walked over to the secret place, leaving Kairi to herself on the beach.

            When she looked down at her feet, she found Riku's name scribbled in Sora's messy handwriting in the sand, only to be washed away by the crystal clear, blue waters of the ocean.

            Sora crouched down low as he entered the Secret Place by the waterfall. His brown hair shone as droplets of mist sparkled in the sunlight, but soon lost its shine as he ducked into the shade. Roots shot out of the soil beside him, and he immediately recognized each and every one, having memorized them and their exact placement during his childhood. He began to stand up straighter as the ceiling rose above him slowly, although his movement was sub-conscious and pre-programmed – putting his hands on the edge of the tunnel and raising his head, his eyes locking onto the strange little door with no doorknob. Lifting his face to the ceiling, he found himself gazing at the sky through a small hole that allowed sunlight into the even smaller cave beneath it.

            To his right, he saw the pictures he and Kairi had drawn when they were little, his arm extending and giving the gift of ultimate friendship – the Paopu fruit. But something had been added since he last edited the picture.  Another arm, her own, gave one back to him.

            His eyes burned and his cheeks turned wet as yet another memory was rekindled.

            _Deal? The winner gets to share a Paopu with Kairi_.

            'How can I be the winner,' asked Sora, looking at the picture engraved on the stone wall. 'if I've lost…you…?' He hung his head and his tears fell freely, tapping the ground faintly. But to Sora, the sound and everything else in his world seemed distant and far away. When he looked up again, he saw Riku's pictures, filled with monsters, heroes, festivals and happiness. 

            'Can you imagine what we'll find out there?' Riku had asked him when they were smaller, much enthusiasm in his voice and excitement in his eyes. He smiled a smile that spread all across his face, and as he did so, Sora could almost imagine angel wings spreading out behind him. They grasped each other's hands, promising then and there that one day, they would explore all the worlds together.

            Sora reached out his hand, wishing that all time would erase itself and that he'd find himself grasping on Riku, making the promise that would change his life forever. It didn't happen. Instead, he realized that time could not erase itself and change; he had to keep it going and change it himself. _Just sitting here won't change a thing. It's the same old stuff_. Suddenly he remembered Kairi's reluctance to help him find Riku. Didn't she miss him too?

            'Let's go.'

            As he whipped his head around full circle, he came face to face with her, her eyes warm and understanding, a small smile on her cherry lips. She'd changed her mind, after all. He gave her an elaborate nod and was the first to run out of the Secret Place, sending back a shout. 

            'C'mon, Kairi!' His voice was cheery and full of excitement as he ran out into the sunlight. She let out a laugh and followed him out. They raced and ran, following each other into the small shack that led to the small bridge between Riku's small island and the main island.

            Sora laughed out loud for the first time in a long time, panting and out of breath as he waited for Kairi to catch up with him. Her head began to peep out of the shack's doorway just as he turned his head to the Paopu tree. He frowned. Riku used to always sit there, staring out at the water and hoping for an escape, and now Sora was going to bring him back. _But what if… he thought, clenching his red shirt tightly, what _if he doesn't _want__ to come back? The idea of that happening hurt him, clamped onto his heart and pulled it out of him; a truly gut wrenching feeling. _No_, he convinced himself. _He wouldn't do that to me…__

            'Sora!'

            _…would he?_

            'Sora!' Kairi repeated. 'Are you ready?' A concerned expression came over her face as she noticed Sora's hurt complexion. 'Are you going to say goodbye to anyone first?'

            'No,' came Sora's soft reply. He did not look up at her, nor did he say anything to explain his answer. He just couldn't say goodbye anyone. It was too painful. Selphie, Tidus and Wakka weren't even the same people anymore. They didn't remember all the fun times they had together, all the heartaches, the arguments, the renewing of friendships or Riku, so would leaving them really be abandoning the friends he knew and loved? After a moment, he lifted his head just enough for his gaze to pass through his brown locks of hair and into Kairi's eyes. A seagull cried and another wind blew past, but it was all ignored and replaced by this moment of sadness and tension.

'It's funny,' he said nonchalantly, 'how this place, the Paopu island, holds the symbol of undying friendship and bond…' Seeing no reaction from Kairi, he turned to the ground again, mumbling to it, as if no one else where nearby to listen to him. '…but is the place where I lost him. Where he held out his hand and I couldn't grasp it.' 

Once again, he remembered their childhood promise to explore new worlds, hand in hand. How they were torn apart, fingers reaching but never meeting.

'Where I received this in compensation.' In a sparkle and a flash, the keyblade, Oathkeeper, appeared in his right palm, dangling loosely at his side. He lifted it up, the Paopu keychain flashing in the daylight, and compared it to the real thing that hung from the Paopu tree, ripe.

_If two people share one, their destinies become intertwined. They'll remain a part of each other's lives, no matter what. C'mon, I know you want to try it._

'Why did I have to throw it away?' More tears fell. 'Toss away our friendship…like it was a piece of junk!' Sora kicked at the ground, dust flying, tears falling. Breathing in a sigh, he turned back to Kairi.

_You know, I was a little afraid at first, but now I'm ready. No matter where I go or what I see, I know I can come back here. Right?_

_Don't worry Kairi… We'll come back… all three of us._

He nodded, pouting, but still set on returning with Riku. He'd bring him back to them, even if he had to search the ends of the Universe. 'Let's go. We can't let fear stop us.'

Kairi held onto Sora tightly as he raised the keyblade high up in the air. A beam shot up into the sky, piercing through the atmosphere and tearing open the barrier that stood between them and the other worlds, a gold sparkle shimmering, descending from the clouds like a heavenly snow.

            'Hey, Sora!' greeted Tidus as he crossed the bridge. 'I was wondering if I could borrow—' But they'd vanished without a trace.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

PipHobbit: I hope you liked the second chapter of LaR! And thanks to Ari for Beta-ing this story! So, what exactly was Tidus asking to borrow? shrug Who knows? Yet another unsolved enigma…

Oh yeah, can anyone tell me how to post a .doc file and still have italics? They always seem to go away when I do it...


	3. Of Music and Gummies

**Author's Note**: I know, I know. A month and a half is WAY too long for ONE chapter. I can't even use my vacation as an excuse anymore. Well, school's coming up, so maybe I can use that instead. ;_; 

Thanks to Ryokusan and Wizard-Majic for all the reviews! It's a bit of a songfic, so I hope you like it! ^_~

**Disclaimer: Remember the one I posted at the very beginning of this fanfic? **hint, hint, nudge, nudge** Oh yeah, I don't own the song 'San Simeon' by Goldfinger, 'Guilty' by Russ Columbo or the design for the Parental Advisory poster.**

**On with the story!**

_Is it a sin? Is it a crime,_

_Loving you dear like I do?_

_If it's a crime, then I'm guilty_…

            A brown haired woman lay in a deep sleep on a brown, leather couch. Opposite to her was her husband, who sat in a large recliner, feet up on a foot rest with a newspaper in hand. A single painting rested on the wall above the couch she was relaxing on – an oil painting depicting the wilderness of upper North America, an illegibly written name scribbled hastily at the bottom-right corner with black ink. The crackle of an old fashioned phonograph sounded in the living room as a vinyl record span round and round, the needle slowly moving up and down as time passed by.__

_…Guilty of loving you._

            It was pleasantly quiet, even though unusual for this time of day. Oh, what was their daughter up to this time? 

The man ran a hand through his salt and pepper hair before continuing to read the H section of newspaper. Sections A through G were neatly stacked on the mahogany coffee table next to him; however he only wanted the one section he was holding. The comics. He let out a light laugh, keeping quiet in order to let his wife sleep. Slowly, he folded the newspaper to put it down on the pile beside him, taking the time to look at the large article on the front. 'Game Sells Over 30 Million Copies Outside Japan. Interesting,' he said, picking up the H section again and reading the article.__

_Maybe I'm wrong, dreaming of you._

_Dreaming the lonely night through._

_If it's a crime, then I'm guilty…_

_SAN SIMEON!_

With a muffled 'oof!', the woman awoke. The painting had fallen down and landed flat on her stomach, squeezing all her breath out of her lungs and pulling out of her dream world filled with romantic walks on the beach and fine men. She tossed it to the ground in frustration. Why did she have to wake up at a time like this? Walls shook as their daughter's stereo system blasted loud music upstairs in her bedroom, which was situated right above the living room. The man nearly jumped out of his skin, dropping newspapers all over the floor. 

_They try to rob me,_

_Take away my integrity now._

_They try to snake me,_

_Take away my dignity_

_But not my memory._

            The words 'guilty of dreaming of you' was barely heard over the blaring punk rock, and the poor, old phonograph was quickly forgotten, left to spin round and round and round as the woman ran up the stairs. _Oh, she's _definitely_ going to be grounded this time, she thought, already picking out which chores for her to do, what restrictions to place and what limits to have during her 'grounded-time'. Dishes? Yes. Cleaning the house? Yes. Use of the phone, internet or having any other contact with friends? Forget it._

_Wherever I go, wherever I stay  
My mind will always be.  
Wherever I go, wherever I stay  
My mind will always be._

            'Trista!' yelled her mother, pounding furiously at the door, trying to have her voice heard over the blaring music. 'Trista, open this door right now!' Her fist pounded twice more on the poster-covered bedroom door, mashing up a black one that read, 'Parental Advisory: This room is restricted'. Placing her hand on the doorknob, she began turning and jiggling it relentlessly, though unable to open it. 'Unlock the door! TRISTA!' Unfortunately, her voice was couldn't reach her daughter, who jumped up and down on her bed, oblivious.

_SAN SIMEON!_

            'Did you hear something?' Trista asked Katami, who had come over after lunch. She continued to jump on her bed just like the music that had continued to play.

            'What?' asked Katami from the hardwood floor. It struck her as odd that her friend would find jumping on the bed so amusing, but then again, Trista was almost like a young child – carefree and innocent. Well, almost innocent. Katami walked over to the stereo system, turning down the volume. 'What?' she repeated.

            'TRISTA!' came a voice from beyond the door. Katami moved away from the stereo and towards the door. 'Open up right--!' The door opened, Katami's face meeting with hers. Flustered, she dusted off her grey, cotton skirt and continued softly, '…now. Hello, Katami.'

            'Hi, Anne!' she greeted in return, smiling. She'd always been on friendly terms with her, although sometimes it seemed Anne thought she was a bad influence on Trista. Whatever the case, she always welcomed Katami into their home, letting her stay over for dinner and whatnot. Sometimes she'd find her sleeping in Trista's room, having snuck in through a window and slept over. But it didn't really bother her.

            Anne let out a 'humph' and eyed her daughter's friend. _When did she get here? Oh, she probably climbed through the window again. _Looking behind her, she looked at Trista, who was still standing on her four-poster bed. Her sky patterned comforter was bundled at her feet and the mattress had inched its way out of its wood frame when she'd jumped on it. 'Tell Trista…' Anne grumbled. She looked at Katami and let out a sigh. '…to lower the volume.' With that, she pulled on the door handle and left, shutting the door behind her. Silence followed, though shattered by the low whisper of the stereo. Suddenly Trista giggled, her voice getting louder and louder until she found herself erupting in a full fit of laughter.

            Katami watched on as her best friend slowly fell onto the bed, only to roll off of it with a loud 'clunk'. 'Did you—' she laughed, 'did you see her face? She was so…mad!' She slowly picked herself off the ground and sat down on her bed. 'I was _definitely_ going to get grounded, but—' she said, another fit of laughter coming along. 'I got away with it!'

            'She always seems to go easy on you when I'm over,' said Katami, snickering, as Trista lay down on her bed with a sigh.

            'Then you should come over more often!' she agreed. Katami walked over to her friend and began poking her ribs, tickling her. They both laughed as they started a poke-war.

!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!

            Sora sat down on the ground with a 'thump'. His keyblade put away, he looked up at Kairi, who stood by his left side, looking up at the stars. Her arms were behind her back and her hair was ruffling in the night wind, the moon shining down on her face. Now that he came to think of it, it had _always _been night in Traverse Town. There was never even the slightest glimpse of sunlight or any clouds; just the sky that opened up like a window into the universe. _How can they wake up in the morning and know that it's, well, morning?_ he thought, turning his attention to the full moon ahead of them. I _could sure use a nap right now_. He let out a yawn and stretched.

            'Kairi,' he said, pulling on her hand. He wrapped his palm around her wrist. 'Can you help me up?' She answered, 'sure' and hauled him up; putting his arm over her shoulder and helping him stay on his feet. Her smile was one of good humour, but her eyes clearly showed the anxiety building inside of her. Ever since they arrived in Traverse Town, Sora had been optimistic and eager to continue his pursuit for Riku, yet at the same time he'd been drained of his energy. 

The keyblade was powerful beyond comprehension, but tapped into the power of its master's heart in order to be as strong as it was. It thrived on the strength of Sora's heart and spirit, just as Sora thrived in the belief that Riku would come back to them someday.

            'Sora,' said Kairi, concerned. He looked up at her with tired eyes, brown hair flopping over to the side and obscuring his vision. 'I don't think that travelling to other worlds without a ship was a good idea. You're too weak to keep doing this.' Her eyes locked onto his, watching as he stuck out his bottom lip and stared back at her defiantly. They were going to find Riku and bring him back, at any cost. And what did she mean, 'too weak,' anyway?

            'Fine,' he said, looking at the accessory shop that stood looming before them. Kairi let out a sigh at her friend's response, relieved that he wasn't going to risk his health anymore. Maybe they'd be able to go back home and forget about the horrible past that lay behind them. 'Let's go see Cid.' He glanced back at the accessory shop Cid used to own. The chimney blew out smoke from the fireplace within, the same undying flame Sora had let live a long time ago – he still remembered lighting it, yelling out 'fire!' and watching a ball of fire come zooming out of his keyblade.

            'Why see _him?' Kairi asked as they slowly walked up a few stairs. The accessory shop gradually distanced itself from them as they moved on and neared Gepetto's house. A street lamp glared in the night and a crate rested on the next flight of stairs, acting as a perfect place for Sora to rest. He sat down, easing the pressure off his tired feet and trying to ignore his exhaustion. It hadn't been too bad at first, but now that they'd got up and started moving again, he was beginning to feel the after effects of travelling without a vessel._

            'Because,' Sora replied, getting back to Kairi's question. 'We need gummi blocks to build a gummi ship, right?' He put on a wide grin and invited her to sit with him. She smiled back and let out a nervous laugh, though remained standing. 'After all, if I can't travel without one, we'd need one to continue looking for Riku. And… I'm looking forward to that.' He looked at his shoes thoughtfully.

_A gummi ship? she thought, suddenly dreading their reunion with Cid. It wasn't that she didn't miss Riku or want him back; it was very different from that. She missed Riku a lot. He was, no, still is one of her best friends, and she'd lost him forever after he was locked in Kingdom Hearts – she had seen him look out at her before the doors shut. It was painful to watch him disappear from her life forever, especially since she had always believed that it could never happen. She truly believed that no one could ever lose _anybody_ important in their lives, and that no matter how far apart you were, you were still together if you held each other in your hearts. But now she knew. It __was possible to lose someone you loved, no matter how close you held them to your heart or how much you wanted them to stay. __And what if, she thought, __I lost Sora, too? I can't let him go, I have to get him back home–_

            'You're not going to sit, Kairi?' asked Sora, bringing her back to the real world. He scooted over a bit to give her some room to sit, but began to pout when she shook her head.

            'Well, you wanted to see Cid, right?' She pulled him back to his feet, giggling. Maybe going on adventures and quests weren't her ideal pastime, but she would _always enjoy time with Sora. He was so persistent, but lazy. 'You're such a lazy bum!' she laughed again as they began walking up the stairs. She'd always called him that, not to be mean or to tease him, but because it was true. They slowly walked up yet another set of stairs before stopping in front of Cid's gummi shop._

            'Sora?' Cid asked, half greeting them and half taken aback by their appearance in Traverse Town. He stood where he had always stood; keeping an unlit cigarette gripped between his teeth and wearing the same blue jeans, white T-shirt and beige tummy-thing he always wore. Sora had never really known what the beige thing was, and now that he thought of it, it made Cid look like he was wearing a barrel. He cracked a broad smile, trying to hide his laughter. It was a funny thought, actually, to have Cid walking around with a barrel wrapped around his waist.

            'Hey, Cid!' he greeted in return, still holding his grin. Cid turned to Kairi, crossing his arms, then turned back to Sora, a look of bewilderment etched over his features. Just how in the many worlds did they get here? Nobody has ever come to Traverse Town in a long time, not since all the worlds were restored and blocked off, and Kingdom Hearts was shut. So what were these two _kids_ doing here?

            'What are you doing here?' he asked, voicing out his thoughts. 'I thought the worlds were—' He stopped when he saw Sora's expression change dramatically. When at first it had been a happy one, it now was one of dejection and unhappiness. His eyes were looking toward the ground and his smile slowly turned itself into a frown; Sora had transformed from an optimistic, upbeat teen to a heavy-hearted adult before his very eyes. 'Are you alright kid?' he asked, concerned.

            _No,_ Sora thought, _I'm not. I don't _want_ them to be separate. They can't be… if they are, how would I find Riku?_ He shut his eyes forcefully, trying not to imagine a life without his best friend; a world where the moon was without the sun, where the ocean was without the shore, and where a boy was without his companion. _But I've got Kairi and Cid, and everyone else to help me. Besides, with a ship we can look for him. He felt what seemed like a smile begin to spread across his lips. Yes, they would find Riku._

            Instantly, the melancholy in Sora's eyes disappeared, like the fear that is forgotten when a nightmare is over. 'We're going to build a gummi ship!' he replied, ignoring Cid's question. Joy filled him as he remembered travelling with Donald and Goofy. It was an enjoyable experience he was never going to forget – sailing past stars, worlds and unknown planets, each being a journey on its own. He was happiest when all the worlds were connected, as if somehow all their hearts were connected, too. But when Cid had mentioned the worlds being separate, his heart sank. They just _couldn't _be, because otherwise they wouldn't be in Traverse Town right now. And even if they _were disconnected somehow, he was just going to connect them all back together again, like those nights long ago when he and Riku would play connect-the-dots with the stars. Those nights where they looked up at the sky and promised themselves to lead a life of adventure and excitement… He began to frown (thinking of the good times he had with Riku always made him frown, nowadays), but he pushed his memories away instead and held a wide smile._

_            You can't come along looking like that. Understand? No frowning. No sad faces. Okay? This boat runs on happy faces._

            'A gummi ship?' Cid unfolded his arms and scratched his nose, a bad habit he was unlikely to get rid of. 'Fine. What do you need? A blueprint, for one thing,' he said, answering his own question.

            'We'll get one from Gepetto,' Sora announced eagerly, motioning to Kairi to go get one as he spoke to Cid. Sensing her leave his side to do as he asked her to, he returned to the task at hand. 'So, do you have any spare parts?'

            'Oh, hello Kairi!' greeted Gepetto as he opened the door, inviting her in. He peeked over her shoulder to see Sora speaking with Cid, apparently trying to compromise something. 'What brings you here?' His round glasses nearly slipped off his nose as he turned back to Kairi, closing the door.

            'Well,' Kairi began, 'Sora and I are going to build a gummi ship, but we need a blueprint. I don't suppose you would have any for us?' She joined her hands together behind her back and stood on her tip toes, hoping that she hadn't been rude.

            'Oh, of course!' Gepetto clapped his hands together before shuffling off to find one, leaving Kairi to trail behind. 'I have so much time on my hands, so I always draw out a few to keep me busy. Pretty interesting little things, those gummi blocks are. I like to experiment with them…'

            As his long talk about gummies continued, Kairi looked around the room. Next to the dresser, she spotted Pinnochio sleeping peacefully on his bed, faithful Jiminy beside him on his old notebook. All of the many clocks that adorned the walls ticked loudly, and she wondered how _anyone could sleep at all in this house. The noise was almost unbearable and the pendulums were forever swaying back and forth, like children on swings at a park. Suddenly, a bird jumped out of one of them, coo-cooing loudly as the hands struck 11. Next, it was accompanied by dwarf smiths hammering down on an anvil, as well as a band leader beating on a drum, a train whistle tooting and a variety of other sounds. Together they formed a not-so-harmonious orchestra, all playing together every hour on the hour, but Gepetto paid no attention to it. Kairi jumped at the loud sounds, but after a moment began to examine each clock and their individual decorations. They stopped after a minute or so, the last being a small group of wooden children singing a song. _

            _It's a small world, after all._

Pinnochio and Jiminy had slept through the entire thing.

            'Here it is,' Gepetto said triumphantly after searching inside the blueprint-filled dresser. Pulling one out, he looked it over for a second and handed it over gently to Kairi. 'It's named after Cloud.'

            'Thanks, Gepetto,' she replied, examining the blueprint herself. He smiled at her and showed her to the door.

            'I'm sure Sora is waiting for you.' The wooden door swung open, creaking. _Yet another loud noise to add to the collection of sounds in this house, she thought. _It's a wonder they don't go deaf.__

            'Thank you!' she repeated as she began to step out. 'Maybe we'll come and visit you again.'

            'You're always welcome. Come back anytime you like.' With that, the door shut and Kairi turned on her heel, ready to meet up with Sora. Finding him wasn't difficult, since Cid's shop was just across from Gepetto's home. Sora turned to her and waved, a smile plastered on his face.

            'Hey, Kairi!' He let out a laugh before turning back to Cid. When she arrived, Cid had gone behind his shop's counter and into the safe, pulling out various, colourful pieces of gummi. 'Cid agreed to give us some free pieces for our gummi ship!' Sora said, grinning. Cid jumped over the counter to join them, carrying a large bag.

            'You couldn't just pay him?' Kairi laughed.

            'Yeah, why didn't we ever think of _that?' Cid asked sarcastically. He lifted an eyebrow as Sora and Kairi began to laugh together this time, their voices echoing in the night. 'So, you've got a blueprint?' He dropped the bag and let it slump on the ground beside his feet._

            'Yup!' she replied, looking at the thin, blue sheet of stencilled-on paper she grasped in her hand. 'Gepetto said it was called Cloud.'

            'Hey, I remember him!' Sora exclaimed, recalling his fights at the Olympic Coliseum. 'I wonder where he is now…' He rested his chin on his hand thoughtfully and tapped his foot before continuing. 'He's probably at Hallow Bastion with everyone else.'

            _Home…_ Kairi thought. _It would be nice if we could go visit there…_

            'Well, anyway,' Sora said, interrupting her train of thought. 'Since we've got all the parts we need, we can probably start building the ship right now!' A look of eagerness and anticipation returned to his blue eyes as he imagined what their finished product would look like. _We'll call it_, he thought,_ Highwind._ The goofy grin that had crawled across his lips began to slip away again as Cid shook his head.

            'It's late. You kids should get some rest and start working on it tomorrow.'

            'Why? So we can at least do it in daylight?' Sora asked dryly before letting out a laugh. Kairi giggled and thought, _I guess Riku's rubbed off on him. 'Okay, we'll stay at the hotel and start tomorrow.' He smiled before picking up the bag of gummies and turning to leave. 'Thanks for the blocks, Cid!'_

            'Heh. You're going to owe me after this,' Cid stated jokingly. He scratched his nose again, obviously a reflex action. Kairi and Sora walked side by side to the large, wooden door that led to the Second District, slowly pushing it open. Before they stepped through though, they both turned around and waved to Cid.

            The door slowly creaked shut, the metal handles jingling in the still night air. Sora looked around and found everything in the same place that it had always been; the gizmo shop ahead, the hotel to the left and the clothes store to the right. Veering towards the left, towards the hotel, a memory suddenly flashed through his mind, causing him to stop mid-step.

An image of a brown haired man blurred his vision, pushing aside the present. The man stumbled on the ground, his white shirt dirtying itself beneath his blue vest. His cries were frantic, frenzied, one of true terror. Lying on his back, a shadow jumped over him and slowly pulled out his heart, watching with wicked pleasure as he gradually disappeared. Where once was a man he now was not, his inner essence stolen and his body taken away from him, only a memory kept within Sora's mind. The image was enough to send a shudder down his back, but knowing that someone lost their life exactly where he was standing was worse still. How was it possible that you could lose all and everything so quickly? One second you'd be walking down the street, and the next thing you know, you don't exist anymore.

            'What's wrong, Sora?' Kairi asked, noticing his pause. He looked up at her and shook his head to say that everything was alright, though deep down inside, he could feel fear building within him, being bottled up and kept inside. _Just like that, he thought, __ and he was gone… At this moment he thought of not just the unfortunate man he'd seen, but also of Riku, his best friend who, like the man, had disappeared in an instant. _Does anyone miss him?_ he asked, referring to the stranger. __Nobody seems to… In his mind, he saw the same heartless, tearing the man's heart out of his body ruthlessly, somehow having a very wicked grin on its non-existent lips. It took away the very soul of somebody, hoarded their essence and sent them to darkness, relishing in the evil of the sin it'd committed. Suddenly, he realized –_

            (He gave a nod, feeling his brown hair flopping on the top of his head, scrunching his lips into a pout and furrowing his eyebrows together. His palms flat against something; something heavy, and he gave it a hard push. He felt his feet slip beneath him but he pressed on, knowing that others were helping him and that together they could do anything. Silence drifted over them like unseen rain clouds, showering them with quietude and stillness, shattered by the clamorous thunder of their heavy breathing. Finally, their task was accomplished.)

            'Sora, are you sure you're okay?' Kairi's voice was nothing but a faint echo in the back of Sora's mind; heard but not listened to, known of but ignored. Her words were pushed aside by Sora's memories, smothered by the silence of the past that was taking place in the present.

            Clang.

            He'd done it. He'd shut the door. He'd just done what that very heartless had done. He'd shut that door intentionally, sent his own best friend into the darkness in the name of doing good. Riku was the victim and he was the heartless, sending him into eternal shadow. And even if Riku had let it happen, it didn't mean that Sora hadn't shut him in, did it? I wouldn't have made what he did any better, would it? No, it wouldn't. Taking someone's heart – and life – was still taking someone's heart, no matter _how_ you looked at it. But didn't Ansem take his heart? Ansem was the one who did it, not Sora.  

_Does anyone miss him? he remembered thinking, but then he thought, _Of course, _I __do. Maybe he hadn't done anything wrong, and that what he did was definitely the right thing to do. I'm__ missing him, looking for him right now__. If I were really like the heartless, I wouldn't miss him, would I? But all that did was prove the fact that Ansem was right about at least one thing. Darkness was in every heart, whether it was brought out through good or bad intentions alike.       _

'Sora?' Kairi looked at him, worried. Her face came into focus as images of Riku and Kingdom Hearts faded away, bringing him back to their task at hand. By the time he looked up again, he'd found that they'd arrived at the hotel, and were waiting just in front of the door.

            'What? It's okay Kairi, I was just thinking, that's all.' He smiled to assure her that it wasn't anything to bother about, though he could tell that she was still concerned.

            'Can't think and walk at the same time?' she laughed, looking at him warily. 'You know, for a while you just kind of stood there.' They caught each other's eye. He let out a laugh to ease the building tension and began to push on the two wooden doors that lead inside, a yellow, neon light blinking the word 'hotel' above their heads. An image of his hands doing the same motion flashed through his mind, though only a blur of white. He pushed it aside, ignoring it.

            'Good thing I wasn't chewing gum, either.' She stood still as he walked halfway through the doorframe, turning around to grin at her before turning his head back in front of him. 'Anyway,' he said, peeking his head through the door to look down the hall. 'We'd better get to bed.' It was strangely empty, though then again, it always was. He walked over to the green room, placing his palm around the round, brass knob. It felt cold to the touch (he realised he wasn't wearing any gloves, and that he could feel everything he got his hands on), something he had got used to once he left the hot, sunny beaches of Destiny Islands. But somehow, it was an unusual, icy cold feeling that shot up through his arm and pierced into his heart. It made him feel almost frozen as his heart thumped faster and faster in his chest, and his voice lodged itself in his throat as a gut wrenching feeling came over him. Adrenaline pumped into him and coursed through his blood like sand being swayed in the ocean's tide. This was definitely not a safe place. Something was in there, he knew it. His body stalled itself and he stood before the door, motionless, cold and very scared.

            'Sora?' Kairi asked, stepping forward and placing a hand on his shoulder. He jumped, his muscles tensing and feeling stiff, like a piece of rough cardboard.

            'Kairi,' he replied, turning his head round. Their eyes met, blue against blue; calm, warm waters of the ocean against the ice cold of fear. Sora held a scared but serious look; an expression Kairi didn't like to see him wear, but that was being worn more and more often. 'Don't go in! It isn't safe.'

            'What're you talking about, Sora?' she asked incredulously. 'There's nothing in there...' She shifted her eyes and looked down the hallway. The more she tried to convince Sora it was safe, she realized, the more it seemed that she was trying to convince herself. Her voice began to waver as she hid herself behind him, afraid of being wrong. 'Is there?' She looked over his shoulder and into his deep blue eyes.

            'I don't know,' he said, shaking his head a bit and looking at the green door in front of him. He stared at it for a long time, debating on whether he should go in or just leave. _Maybe, he thought doubtfully,__ maybe it's nothing.  When he found the strength to move again, he put his hand back on the knob. 'I'm going in first. Wait here,' he said. With a quick flick of the wrist he turned the doorknob to the right and felt a cold breeze wash over him. It burned his cheeks and they flushed a bright red – how was it so cold in there? He took a step forward and flung his arms in front of his face, the cold, black wind blowing against him. 'Kairi!' he exclaimed, and a memory chose this moment to show itself to him, just as the dark wind began to dissipate and melt away._

            _Sora__… Kairi turned to around to face Sora, who'd found that he was in the Secret Place. She raised her arm to reach him, her eyes half shut, half open and bleak; they'd lost their shine and brightness. She seemed gaunt and sickly, as if she'd been lost at sea for a year or so before being found. Dark bags clung to her, just below her eyes. Suddenly, a strange little wooden door (with no knob, he noticed) flung open, a dark wind spewing out of it and encircling him, pushing Kairi closer and closer. He opened his arms to try and catch her, but as they touched she disappeared, and the wind became too powerful for him to keep his feet on the ground._

            'Sora?' Kairi asked. She furrowed her eyebrows and frowned; Sora was still standing, though by now he'd covered his face with his hands and fallen to his knees.

'What does this mean...?' he mumbled. He shook his head as his memories continued to flow: rough sand, circling winds, a looming shadow…

'What's wrong?' Kairi asked breathlessly, exasperated.  The last remnants of the cold air blew by, gently tossing their hair and clothes and making them seem like algae in the ocean, swaying whichever way the current takes them. She waited calmly for a response but only received silence as a reply, fear slowly bubbling inside of her and ready to show itself at any minute. 

            _This has to mean something,_ thought Sora. _The darkness, the wind, the cold…_

Kairi raised an arm to reach him, but held back just as her trembling fingertips grazed the back of his cotton shirt. Looking over his shoulder, she saw that the room was completely dark, without a single candle or lamp or light within. The hallway lights gradually seeped into the room at an agonizingly slow crawl. _It's so dark,_ she thought. The darkness was like a thick wall, a substance that filled the entire room and kept light from coming in.

            _It's the same wind that came out of that door,_ he realized, _and after that happened; I fought Darkside…_

            She slowly stepped into the room and groped blindly for a light switch. In a second, she found one mounted on the wall beside the door and flipped it upwards, waiting for a light to come streaming down on her. None came. _What's wrong with this?_ she thought, and repeatedly flicked the switch on and off. _Maybe the bulb's broken, or maybe…_ She turned around and looked back at Sora, who seemed to have come out of his daze, but was in deep thought. _Maybe Sora's just overreacting; he's been zoning a lot. She noticed how the hallway lights glared in her eyes now that she was in the dark. It was almost as if the world was cut in half, one half being the light side and the other the dark side…Turning around again, she looked up at the lamp that hung from the ceiling and slowly began walking towards it. Maybe the bulb _was_ broken. She peered upwards. _

It was completely dark inside the room, but suddenly, the lamp flashed a yellow light that left just as quickly as it came. The last flicker of a dead light bulb, she presumed, and began to walk towards Sora. _What's gotten into him?_ she wondered. _Ever since we left the __Islands__ again, he's been acting different. I thought you said you wouldn't change? She let out a deep breath and let the memories come back to her, envisioning their world before it came tumbling down on them._

They both sat on the dock, looking out at the sunset that would lead to the day that lay before them: the day they would leave in their search for new worlds. Riku was nowhere in sight, and she figured that he'd probably run off to prepare for their adventure and to say his goodbyes. _I should probably do that too,_ she'd thought, but instead she continued to gaze out at the ocean. The sun's orange rays hit the water and gave her face a lovely, pinkish glow as she sat quietly next to Sora, swinging her legs over the edge of the dock. Luckily it covered the red flush of colour that came over her cheeks; she'd always waited for a time like this where she and Sora could be alone together. Ever since they were little, she'd always wanted to be able to tell him…

_Oh, this is silly, she berated herself, __this whole adventure is._

'You know, Riku has changed,' she said, trying to keep her mind off things.

'What do you mean?' asked Sora, surprised by his friend's words. _Oh great, what did I say that for?_ she asked herself, mentally slapping herself in the forehead. _I just want to tell him how feel, right?_ She side-glanced over to her friend, slightly embarrassed at her childish shyness and uneasiness when it came to something as simple as- 

'Well…' she said, trying to find a way to explain her abnormal behaviour. _Ever since we were little,_ she thought, but couldn't get the emotion to be said in words.

'You okay?' Sora asked in a concerned, but joking manner. Locks of brown hair flopped over in the wind sloppily, framing his sunset tainted face. _Sora__, I really, really like you, Kairi thought. _No. Sora, I _love _you…Why can't I say it?__

'Sora, let's take the raft and go, just the two of us!' she exclaimed, standing up suddenly.

_Was the only way I could say it? Kairi asked herself, her mind returning from its drift from reality. She found her feet placing themselves one in front of the other, slowly carrying her towards her destination: Sora. It was nothing more than a numb-feeling, automated action, a reflex. Once she began thinking about it, however, she felt her feet slip beneath her and her legs wobble. She caught herself and continued walking, wondering why Sora changed so much since they arrived in Traverse Town. _

_That's it! he thought, looking up to see Kairi walking over to him unsteadily, like a foal with legs too long to control. Finally, he'd discovered what that wind was, he thought, and frowned. It could only be…_

'Sora?' She held a puzzled expression, one eyebrow lifted and her lips pursed into a frown. It seemed as if she'd called his name a thousand times today…or perhaps it was her heart calling out to him. 'Are you alright—'

'Kairi! Get out of the room!' Sora exclaimed, despite the fact that she was already a few steps into the hallway. He placed an un-gloved hand on her shoulder and pushed her aside (which was fairly easy, he noted), pulling out Oathkeeper in the process.

'Sora, what're you doing?' she squeaked as she was tossed further out into the hall. She stumbled clumsily on her own foot before toppling to the ground with a thump and an 'ow', her backside definitely feeling bruised. 'There's nothing in there! The light bulb—'

Before she could say another word, Sora rushed into the room, keyblade in hand. She placed a hand onto the nearest object (a mop that had been carelessly left behind by a chamber maid, unnoticed by Kairi until this moment) and hauled herself up off the ground, running into the room quickly. 

Her heart raced and her voice lodged itself in her throat as she examined the sight before her.

'Heartless!'

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PipHobbit: Dun dun dun! Sorry for the cliffy, even after I made you wait an eternity for this chapter. Hopefully it's all made up for though…TEN PAGES!! I wrote ten pages! . Just wait till I finish the next chapter… Oh yeah, I also plan on re-writing the prologue, whee!


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